>somehow i believe i'd need a more recent driver to support the graphics.
"In testing of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, its Ivy Bridge support was spot-on, especially for the at-launch coverage. Ubuntu 12.04 LTS provides the Linux 3.2 kernel, xf86-video-intel 2.17.0, and Mesa 8.0. Assuming you are on Mesa 8.0 and a recent Linux kernel, you should be in good shape for Ivy Bridge HD 2500/4000 support."
- http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=intel_hd4000_ivybridge&num=2
You should be more than okay with Trisquel 6.0
